1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to fluid filter apparatus, and more specifically, to a water filter apparatus having a deflector over the inflow inlet to cause a circulation of multifaceted mobile members trapped within the inlet chamber to tend to remove contaminants lodged on the inlet surface of the filter apparatus.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the past various devices have been developed to remove contaminants from a flow of fluid. A common problem among such filters was that after a period of use, the filter, and in particular the filter inlet surface, tended to become clogged with the contaminants removed from the flow. To overcome the problem of filter clogging, various improvements have been made to filters, including those such as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,039,452, issued on Aug. 2, 1977 to Mr. J. J. Fernandez for a self-cleaning filter. The Fernandez device incorporates a spring-loaded filter pack which automatically back flushes its inlet surface when the flow is terminated, and also incorporates "a number of agitator elements" which are located within an inlet chamber. As indicated beginning at line 45 of Column 4 of the Fernandez patent that device utilizes "agitator elements 44 preferably . . . shaped as round washers each having a central opening. The system pressure during filtering operations causes the agitator elements 44 to spin rapidly and move rapidly in a random motion throughout the inlet chamber 14 as long as system pressure is present in the filter housing. " Notwithstanding the allegation in that patent that the motion of the agitator elements is caused by "pressure" in the filter housing, it would appear that in fact motion of the agitator elements is caused by dynamic pressure gradients created by the flow of the fluid. Although the Fernandez patent does not teach the use of a particular material for the agitator elements, examination of the specification and the respective figures of the drawing of the patent discloses agitator elements in the shape of a common flat washer. Although the Fernandez patent alleges that the flat washers could be started and maintained in motion by "pressure", it would appear that since the bulk of the washers lie substantially within a relatively stable boundary layer, as shown FIG. 2 of the drawing of that patent, an extremely high velocity for the fluid entering the inlet chamber would be required in order to start, and maintain, the agitating members in motion. A need existed for an apparatus for, and method of, keeping the inlet surface of a filter apparatus free of contaminants without requiring a high flow rate entering the inlet chamber.